Flinders Bay, Augusta

We're so lucky in Western Australia to be surrounded by 1000s of stunning beaches with white super fine sand, crystal clear water and endless hours of sunshine to enjoy it all in. But there's a few beaches which are just a cut above the rest and Flinders Bay is one of them. 

We actually first discovered Flinders Bay on holiday a few years ago, but being on holiday weren't paying much attention to where it was or its name, so despite looking a handful of times over the past few years were never able to find it on our trips down south and slowly began to believe it was just a figment of our imagination. The warm water was warm enough to walk straight into, without even the slightest flinch. The sand was perfectly soft, white and fine. And the Bay surrounded by a natural wall of rocks to kept the waves out...it almost does sound too good to be true, but it's not.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you Flinders Bay : 

The perfect place to waste away a day, reading books, floating in the water and exploring the shoreline.



Do you have a special place? Or somewhere you're sure you visited but have never found again?

xo

Perfect Personalised Presents with Photobox

I'm sure I'm not the only one who's found that as you get older, the list of things you want for christmas (and birthdays) becomes smaller and smaller, and you realise the things you really want in life can't be beautifully wrapped and placed under the tree. So this year, instead of the same box of smellys and bottle of wine I'd normally gift everyone, I decided to give everyone something personal and a little bit more special.


I decided on photo gifts at the start of the month and started hunting the internet to find a company that had a good variety of gifts, I decided on photobox as they are based in Australia and the UK, so I could send things to family and friends in both countries and not worry about crazy postage! I was pretty happy to find a great variety of gifts from photo books and canvases to mugs, retro prints and phone cases..

personalised photo calendar - $29

For the mums I decided to create these hanging wall calendars filled with different photos. Thanks to Facebook I was able to even find some scanned photos of everyone as children- and gather photos of family members we haven't seen since they've had babies. I loved that I was able to chose the backgrounds, sizes of photos and even add in special dates throughout the year. 

Photo gift mug  - $17 

For the tradie in my life (who's also a massive tea drinker!) I decided to get a photo mug. It's a bit soppy, and I'm pretty sure it'll never end up in the tea room at his work, but I think it's gorgeous. I loved that I was able to chose from a good variety of designs, and was even able to add colour to the inside.

Premium retro prints - $20 

For everyone else, printed instagram photos! As much as I adore digital photography, we don't tend to print and display our photos as much as the previous generations...so every now and then I like to order print outs of instagram photos to pop on the wall at home. I've ordered these kind of prints from a variety of companies now, but these are by far my favourites! I love how the white part of the photos has been texturised and that there's a black photographic back - just like old polaroids. 

What are your favourite kind of gifts to give and receive? Do you remember to print out and display your digital photos?

xo

this post was written in collaboration with photobox, but is 100% honest- I'm totally smitten with the quality and service.

The care box co.

This morning I stepped onto the front porch to find a package sat waiting for me, I rushed back inside and unwrapped the most gorgeous gift from the  The Care Box co.  and I just had to share it with you all right away...

TCBC offers Aussies customised and themed care packages for all occasions in life (not just those major milestones). Yes, we celebrate (or commiserate as the circumstances may lead us to) all of life’s little moments and our range of care packages embody those moments and details. Each of our care packages (both Mini and Maxi) are curated to a particular theme and occasion (for example, the ‘Fend & Mend’ is tailored for someone who may be under the weather or  the ‘Recharge Remedy’ could be tailored for a uni student going through some serious exam stress – yep we’ve all been there!).

Lin, the mastermind behind The Care Box Co. chose a little selection of their products to make a custom package just for me, and wrote the most gorgeous note saying that she loves my blog (yay!). The whole package screams boutique luxury, from the beautiful box to the gold leaf note card.  

I immediately sat down with a cup of coffee and my Pana chocolate and flicked through the pages of the 101 moments of joy and inspiration book, it's filled with beautiful illustrations and quotes.

The Care Box Co. offer a range of mini care boxes  which start at just $35 and maxi boxes which range from $65 - 80. My favourites are the Fend & Mend mini box which is $38 and features a gorgeous heart shaped tea cup and saucer, and the Just because care package which is $78 and contains the 101 moments book, a beautiful candle and some chocolate. Postage is free on orders over $150, they also offer next day express delivery for $17, perfect if you're a last minute lover! 

What's the best care package you've ever received? 

xo

I was kindly sent this box by The Care Box Co. but all views are 100% my own, I am totally in love with it! 

Sets on the beach

In just under a week I'm picking up my little (ahem 20) brother from Perth airport, in just over a week I'm giving him a royal welcome to Perth by taking him to a beach party he won't ever forget...Sets on the beach.

Perth's most iconic beach party Sets on the beach,  is back on Sunday 6th December, sunshine, good tunes and great company makes for the perfect start of summer so get clicking over to Sets on the beach - Oz tix to grab one of the few remaining tickets. 


But if you need a little more persuading...

Sets on the beach is a series of boutique beach parties hosted along Perth's gorgeous coast throughout summer, with 17 sell out events over the 5 years you're guaranteed an incredible time. The start of summer part by Sets on the beach is to be held on the pristine white sands of Port Beach, North Fremantle. The event's split across two levels with three stages and boasts creative decor and inflatables galore- hello 1000 beach balls. 

Can you think of anything better than enjoying a few cold drinks and dancing past sunset on the beach? me either..

The soundtrack to Sets on the beach is being provided by an insane mix of homegrown and international talent including Bag Raiders (DJ set), CLN, Friend Within, Just a Gent, Matoma, Nicky Nightime, POOLCLVB, Torren Food, Wolf + Lamb...and a whole other heap of acts who are yet to be announced!

Now calling Los Angeles home, Jack Glass and Chris Stracey of Bag Raiders are back in Oz to bask in our summer after shows all over the United States, South America and Australasia this year. Fresh off the release of their latest single Waterfalls, the boys will be treating a world-class DJ set to you with plenty of new tunes and great vibes.

Brisbane-based DJ and producer CLN has made a name for himself over the last year with his debut EP Sideways and a handful of cracker remixes for the likes of ODESZA, Kilter and Crooked Colours. There is plenty in store for the young producer, whose latest EP Found has already garnered plenty of airplay — and now’s your chance to catch him in action.

Hailing all the way from Liverpool, Friend Within is one of the UK’s top up-and-comers to look out for, having released tracks on heavy-hitting labels including Dirty Bird and Disclosure’s own Method Records. The release of The Run EP will see him hit up cities all over England, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Australia as he makes his way to Sets on the Beach for his only Perth show.

Just A Gent is your everyday gentleman making not-so-everyday dance music — at the tender age of just 18, the NSW producer’s tunes have racked up over 10 million plays on Soundcloud alone, earning him a Producer of the Year Award nomination at the Stoney Roads Awards this year alongside the likes of Ta-Ku, What So Not, Rufus and more.

Killing it in 2015, Norwegian producer Matoma has been doling out monster remixes of the greatest hits from a range of genres including Will Smith, Jay Z, Tegan and Sara, Eminem, Enrique Iglesias and more — his explosive remix of The Notorious B.I.G’s Old Thing Back boasts over 14 million plays on Soundcloud and is set to be the ultimate tune for summer.

Joining the line-up is Sydney producer Nicky Night Time, fresh off the release of his brand new single Flowers ft. Nat Dunn, which shot to #1 on the ARIA dance charts. The former Van She producer and frontman will be bringing his signature sound to Sets on the Beach for his only Perth appearance before heading back over east for more killer shows.

From supporting some of Australia’s biggest DJs to headlining his very own tour, POOLCLVB has come a long way — known for his remixes of the likes of Motez, Mickey Kojack and Paces and killer originals such as Here You’re Mine ft. Erin Marshall and the brand new ARIA Club Chart-climber Move Me ft. Natalie Conway, be sure not to miss his only Perth set and the final instalment of his Move Me national tour.

With his first national tour, the release of 1, 2 Step and being named in the Top 25 Producers in Australia at the Stone Roads Awards under his belt, it’s no surprise Torren Foot has had one massive year. With releases on Mad Decent and prolific local labels Onelove, Sweat It Out!, Ministry of Sound (Hussle) and So Solid, the Melbourne-based producer’s work speaks for itself and is a must-see this December.

Rounding out this year’s incredible line-up are house music maestros Zev Eisenberg and Gadi Mizarhi of Wolf + Lamb. The Brooklyn-based duo have crafted a distinct niche and made a name for themselves as two of the most innovative and unique producers around since their beginnings in 2001. Fresh off the release of After We’re Gone, the duo’s phenomenal influence over the last decade is undeniable, and they’re set to bring their deep house delights to the stage at Sets on the Beach, guaranteeing to move hearts and not just feet.

So what are you waiting for? Head on over the Sets on the beach to find out more or go straight to Oz tix to grab your ticket before they sell out! 


Whats the best festival / gig you've ever been to? Have you been to Sets on the beach before?
xo


This post has been written in collaboration with sets on the beach, all views are my own.

Fremantle beer festival

If you read my post about Core Cider House or Perth's Urban Orchard you'll probably know I've got a sweet spot in my heart for a day out in the sunshine, sensibly enjoying alcoholic beverages. So when a group of my better half's work colleagues told us to ditch our weekend plans and head to Fremantle beer festival I couldn't really resist...

Celebrating the best Western Australia has to offer. 250+ beers & ciders on tap, gourmet food, comedy tent, family entertainment, live music & more.

Entering the gates we were handed a tasting glass and event guide each, I immediately hoped this would mean free tasters but alas they were $2 each. We took a stroll around before finding the already slightly piddled gang, we discussed a plan of attack wanting to make the most of the massive variety of booze on offer but after about 5 minutes shoved the plan and wondered from stall to stall.
  Not beer, but I'm going to talk about how incredible Custard&Co's original cider is anyway... It's incredible, and if you're that way inclined they had a apple & mango on tap too.

 Away from the alcohol Fremantle beer festival has live music all afternoon, a kids zone and masterclasses covering everything from beer oxidation to home brews.

At the back of the venue the live music stage made a perfect meeting place, and was luckily in shade for most of the day.



 Fremantle comedy club put on two shows a day with a mix of home brewed comedy and international artists including Mike Goldstein (USA), Luke Heggie (AUS) and Rory Lowe (UK), who is pictured above.

 

Drinks flowed well in to the evening  and the atmosphere was amazing- perhaps something to do with the glorious sunshine mixed with hours of drinking?

 You can find out more information about Fremantle beer festival via their website or Facebook. Tickets were $27 including booking fee which included tasting glass, programme, live music, comedy and masterclasses.  


Have you been to  a beer festival before? Did you enjoy it?

xo

Sydney opera house

I've saved this post till the end of my Sydney blog posts for a reason, I was absolutely blown away by Sydney opera house. Without a doubt, if you think of Sydney you'll think of the iconic opera house, but if you're anything like me you probably don't know all that much about it. We couldn't pass at the opportunity to have a guided tour inside and I made sure I got snap happy so you can all come too...

In 1955 an international competition was launched to design an iconic performance space in the heart of Sydney looking out over the gorgeous Sydney harbour. The criteria specified a large hall seating 3,000 and a small hall for 1,200 people, each to be designed for different uses, including full-scale operas, orchestral and choral concerts, mass meetings, lectures, ballet performances and other presentations. A total of 233 entries were submitted and the winning design was from Danish architect Jørn Utzon. 

There were problems from start to finish, the design simply wasn't possible and the costs soared, eventually leading to Utzon's resignation in 1966 before the building was completed, he returned to Denmark and never returned. The building was finally completed and opened by Queen Elizabeth in 1973, at a total cost of over $100 million dollars.

I won't go into too much more detail but the building is absolutely incredible and I would encourage anyone in or near Sydney to have a tour (and hear the full story about the design and building!)..

Did you know the opera house is covered in thousands of interlocking tiles? They're self cleaning thanks to the grooves between them, when it rains the water trickles down and theres drainage built in  to the floor.

Sadly we weren't allowed to take photos inside the concert halls, due to them being set up for performances that evening, but they were just as architecturally beautiful as the rest of the building.

Hand up who loves Sydney!

And sadly that concluded our little trip to Sydney, from there it was a relaxed day before heading on the flight back to Perth! 

We had a total blast, and are so glad we booked our mini trip to Sydney, but we definitely felt like we were home back in Perth- I just love how laid back and spacious our city is in comparison! 

Have you been to Sydney before or is it on your bucket list?

xo

night noodle markets

I was pretty excited to hear the night noodle markets were on whilst we were in Sydney , sadly they're all finished now, but lucky you- you can live the wonder vicariously through me!

Sydney's night noodle markets are a foodie dream, filling Hyde Park each year as part of good food month there's an incredible mix of Asian food from a mix of top local chefs and smaller restaurants. The vibe is incredible, bustling with people elbows out to get the best boa, music, lights everywhere and the occasional dancing dog.

Whilst the queues may look long (some wiggle all over the place and round the corner) they clear quickly, none the less- if you want to make the most of your time arrive eaaaarly!

We both ordered from the Eat the chicken stall, Dan had the chicken pad thai and I had the veggie pineapple fried rice- which was incredible especially teamed with a drizzle of chilli sauce!

Care of instagram I'd found out about Whisky Sugar, who were serving up whisky cocktails and whisky cookies. I really don't like whisky, but Dan loves it so I gave in and we wondered over, I am so glad we did because, whilst the cocktails still weren't really my thing, the whisky cookies were absolutely incredible- so good intact I'm going to try and make my own to share the recipe! 

If you can handle the crowds, and you're in town at the right time, you definitely need to head down to the Sydney night noodle markets.



What's your favourite asian food? xo